The EU-AU summit: Looking beyond aid in nation building

BY WEALTH DICKSON OMINABO

Last week African and European leaders gathered in Brussel, Belgium, for the 6th EU-Africa summit. The two-day meeting ended with commitment from leaders from both continents on areas of mutual cooperation and assistance on core strategic areas like health, infrastructure, poverty reduction and climate change.

A joint statement released by the leaders of the two continents at the end of the programme said: “Aware of unprecedented and mounting common challenges and opportunities, the leaders of the EU and AU commit to a joint vision for a renewed partnership to build a common future, as closest partners and neighbours. Two unions, a joint vision. We agree that the aim of the joint vision is to consolidate a renewed partnership for solidarity, security, peace and sustainable and sustained economic development and prosperity for our citizens and for our future generations, bringing together our people, regions and organisations”.

The outcome of the summit from the joint statement elicited some excitement from Africa leaders and its citizens as EU leaders pledged €150 billion for the Global Gateway package. The Global Gateway analysts say it is expected to stand as an apposition to China’s $1.3 trillion global infrastructure investment program otherwise known as the Belt and Road Initiative.

The Global Gateway is meant to fund infrastructure in Africa and add up to investment in the continent in order to address some of the economic challenges in Africa. The Global Gateway will also help promote democratic norms and values as well as help in the advocacy of green energy and climate change.

The summit also committed €100 million to support the African Medicines Agency for a period of five years. Also, €450 million was earmarked for vaccines to Africa, while €500 million from the European Investment Bank was pledged to strengthen health systems and €425 million to speed up the pace of vaccination in Africa. There was also the commitment from leaders of EU and AU “to engage constructively towards a comprehensive WTO response to the pandemic” including “trade” and “intellectual property related aspects”.

For the average African citizen, outcomes of the Summit is a big win for Africans, provided EU leaders deliver on their promises. However, the point must be made that Africa’s hope for survival and sustainable development does not lie in initiatives of this nature alone.

The sordid development realities in Africa is a testimony that aid does not transform nations. At best, foreign aid, loans and grants can only serve as a relief and reprieve to the challenges of the people. Nation building is intrinsic and our leaders must look within and work with solidarity towards achieving a sustainable future.

African leaders should review the parasitic approach to diplomacy, whereby they engage their outside counterparts with longlist of wish lists and demands. They must work hard to build their nations, improve their statecraft and be deliberate about good governance.

The Africa continent is sufficiently blessed with human and natural resources and the hope for its growth lies in leaders’ readiness to harness the continent’s vast resources towards self-sufficiency and sustainable development.

Africa leaders should look inward and search for sustainable solutions to the continent’s problems. Many African nations are failing, some have failed while others are at the verge of collapsing, this ugly reality should bother our leaders, if not for anything, at least for the simple fact that the continent cannot continue to be the sick child of the world.

Signing bilateral agreements with developed nations will not translate to peace and development. Development comes through political accountability, which include quality leadership, economic frugality and constitutionalism.

The pathway to attaining inclusive growth and progress as captured in the African Union’s ‘Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want’ lies in an integrated approach towards nation building- this calls for the prioritisation of human security, democratisation and investment in education, science and technology.

The responsibility before Africa leaders today is to see how they can work in solidarity and rid the continent from the map of miseries – poverty, insecurity and failures. To achieve this, African leaders need to take seriously the issue of regional integration- reduce all barriers and impediments affecting intra-Africa trade. Improved Intra-African trade will accelerate economic growth and increase production and create new opportunities for Africans. There is also the need to strengthen multilateral organisations, so that they can deliver public goods to citizens across nations.

Ominabo is the communications officer at the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation